Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
We’re Kincaids; we love harder after all.
Jordyn stirs in my arms, and I hold her a little tighter.
“Hey,” she croaks. “Why are you awake?”
“Memorizing the moment.”
Her reply is to kiss my bare chest and snuggle deeper under the covers. “I have to leave today.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want to go.”
There’s a part of me that wants to tell her to stay and to tell her mother to fuck off. I know Jordyn never would. She would never risk me or my family, and I love her even more for it.
“When can I see you again?”
“I’ve been thinking about that.” She moves so that she’s on her side facing me. The early morning sun is shining through the blinds, and she looks like a beautiful, sleepy angel.
“Let’s hear it, sweets.”
“Atlanta is a big city. Maybe we can meet up. I was thinking about the movies. It’s dark and we can arrive and leave separately.”
“You think we can pull that off without being seen?”
“I do. I can have Gianna go, too, and sit with us, or go to a different movie?”
“She can sit with us.”
“I’m kind of selfish where you’re concerned. Especially if our time together is so sporadic.”
“I’m all in, sweets. If you think it’s safe, I’m there. You tell me when and where and I’ll make it happen.”
“It won’t be like this. It won’t be—intimate, but it’s time together.”
“This is more than sex, Jordyn. Tell me you know that.”
“I do.” She smiles. “But I like the sex part.”
I pull her naked body closer. “We’re really good at the sex part.”
“You think? We should probably practice just to make sure.”
I swoop in for a kiss, my tongue exploring her mouth with lazy strokes. My hand cups her ass just as a phone ringing interrupts us.
“That’s mine.” She scrambles out of bed, almost tripping over the covers that pull off to the side, and she scrambles to grab her phone from the nightstand. “Hello?” Her voice cracks, and the fear I hear pisses me off.
We have to find a solution to this.
“Oh, yeah, um, okay. I can do that. No, it’s fine. I promise. This weekend was more than I could have hoped for. Okay. I’ll see you soon.” She ends the call and places her phone back on the nightstand.
“Everything okay?”
“That was Gianna. Her cousin Talia got called into work, and they’re leaving now. I have to meet them at the mall parking lot to hand off the rental in two hours.”
“Right. Well, you get showered, and I’ll make you some breakfast. I can’t let my girl leave hungry.” I climb out of bed and pretend that her leaving isn’t tearing my heart to shreds. I walk to where she’s standing and kiss the corner of her mouth. “Love you.” My words are soft to hide the emotions rolling through me like a tidal wave.
I’m at the door, almost free to let my mask fall when she calls my name.
“Ryder.”
I stop, school my features, and turn to face her.
“You’re my everything. I need you to know that.”
Turning on my heel, I stalk back to where she’s standing and lift her into my arms. I hug her so tightly, she probably can’t breathe, but I can’t seem to lessen my hold on her. This woman, she’s a fighter. My girl, she’s sacrificed her own happiness for so many, and it’s important to her for me to know that I’m her everything.
“You are my life, Jordyn,” I whisper huskily. “I need you. I love you. You own me. You, too, are my everything. We’re going to get through this, and then we’ll live happily ever after.”
“You big on fairy tales?” she teases to lighten the mood, but I can still hear the pain in her voice.
“Blakely and I have watched many, and the others too,” I say, speaking of my many nieces and nephews.
“So when our daughter wants to play dress up with Daddy?”
“I’m in,” I tell her. “I’m in on practicing for this daughter. I’m in for being her daddy and letting her dress me however the fuck she wants to.” I can see it all clearly in my mind. Jordyn and I sitting on the back porch, watching our kids play with their cousins. It takes everything I have not to beg her to start trying for a baby right now.
She laughs. “One day, Ryder Kincaid.”
“Forever, sweets.” I release her and wink, before turning back around and leaving the room.
When I reach the kitchen, I brace my hands on the island and bow my head. I hate this. I don’t know that I’ve really hated anything. I dislike avocado. I dislike bare feet on a cold floor in the winter months. But I truly hate the distance between us.
Grabbing my phone, I call Deacon.
“Hey, Ry,” he answers. “You good?”
“Sorry to call so early.” I wince.